RandomOTDEntry

RandomOTDEntry, for displaying a random entry from this day in previous years

Download RandomOTDEntry 1.3 (23 February 2003)

RandomOTDEntry displays a random entry from the day the template is published in previous years. For example, if a template using RandomOTDEntry is published on 25 March 2003, an entry will be randomly selected from the entries posted 25 March 2001 and 25 March 2002 (assuming you started the weblog in 2001, so there are no entries on 25 March 2000).

RandomOTDEntry fully executes template code inside it. Also, no matter how many times you republish the template, the same entry is used (so you can use it in your RSS feed without spamming your readers with a new history entry every time your feed is republished that day).

Tip: if you do use RandomOTDEntry in your RSS feed, try using Today in <MTEntryDate format="%Y">: <MTEntryTitle> for the title instead of simply <MTEntryTitle>. Otherwise people will not notice it's not a new post, especially when viewing in their aggregators.

RandomOTDEntry was inspired by Brad Choate's OnThisDay plugin. (Originally I did it with a combination of OnThisDay and another of Brad's plugins, MTPerlScript.)

Using RandomOTDEntry

To install, drop the above file as RandomOTDEntry.pl into your plugins directory, then modify your template to call it, e.g.:

<MTRandomOTDEntry> your entry template code </MTRandomOTDEntry>

RandomOTDEntry supports no options.